14. Natural Mineral Water Used in Health Resort Medicine

Besides chemical composition, the water temperature at the emergence site is, as a rule, a requisite for traditional crenotherapy/balneotherapy practice officially recognized in many European countries as a clinically effective complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade inflammation and stress-related pathologies, the absorption of biologically active inorganic and organic substances through the skin playing an effective role, although the mechanisms of action still remain matter of scientific discussion. The history of balneotherapy and of thermalism, i.e. the economic activity addressed to the prevention, therapy, rehabilitation and wellness provided by the use of hot or warm natural mineral water in thermal resorts or health resort medicine spas. This chapter reports the natural requisites of natural mineral water and spring water to be used in health resort medicine, employing the traditional methods and practices of hydrotherapy, crenotherapy and climatotherapy at the balnearies or bathhouses of the so-called health resort spas.